Fly Away
by LM Simpson
Summary: Loosely based on Elton John's "Daniel." Danny is a star in the face of the sky, but he hasn't been all that stellar lately. Told in Jazz's POV


**Title: **Fly Away

**Author: **LM Simpson (Kady the Red Panda)

**Pairing(s): **mentioned Danny/Sam

**Rating: **K+

**Warning(s): **"Phantom Planet" spoilers

**Disclaimer: **Don't shoot me! I'm the only piano play—er, I do not own _Danny Phantom_ and I never will. That is Butch Hartman and Nick's bragging rights. And I don't own "Daniel" by Elton John either. Elton John is very proud of that song anyway. Now that we got that out of the way—

**Other tidbits: **I have listened to Elton John's "Daniel," a song about two brothers parting ways after the titular Daniel becomes disillusioned after the Vietnam War, way too much lately. Somehow "Daniel" and _Danny Phantom _blended in my mind. Here is the product of these thoughts.

0000

Danny's been through a lot, and I'm talking about a lot more than any teenager should ever endure. Every day he risked his life trying to save Amity Park, he was always in the public eye because of his daily heroics, and my parents guarded "their little hero" more and more after discovering that he was half-ghost. This is _before _we take in account normal teen drama as well. I worry about him in the back of my mind all the time, but I always believed that Danny was okay and happy and healthy in the end. It wasn't one night that I learned how far this was from the truth.

Mom, Dad, and I thought it was just normal teenage brooding at first. All teens want to become more independent at some point during that stage. Who would blame Danny for wanting some freedom once in awhile?

But then everything went downhill. First he began losing interest in ghost fighting, going out with friends, and playing computer games. Then he began confining himself in his room. Even when I knock on the door to check on him, he's still in there, having never left his bed. And then he began experiencing the worst mood swings and temper tantrums, snapping at everyone over the silliest things. He once yelled at Mom after she asked him if he wanted scrambled eggs with his bacon and toast.

Then came the day he slammed the front door and ran into his room crying. After _his _door slammed shut, Mom, Dad, and I stared at each other at the kitchen table.

"Something's wrong with Danny," Mom said, her goggles fogging with wet eyes. "He never cries like that."

"He's probably just had a bad day," Dad said as he patted a hand on Mom's shoulder. "You know how hormones can screw up teenagers, Maddie honey."

I rested my water onto a tile coaster. "Dad, Mom's right. Danny is never like this. I think something's really wrong with him."

Mom placed a hand against her cheek and sniffed. "Do you mind checking on him, Jazz? He seems to respond to you better than Jack or me…"

I sighed. These types of things always fell into my lap but I knew this was important. "No Mom, I don't mind."

I knocked on his door not even a minute later. I could hear him sobbing inside.

"Danny?" I calmly called. "Can I come in?"

"No! You can't come in!" He yelled.

"Danny, I just want to talk to you."

"You're just gonna make it worse!"

"No I'm not! I just want to know what's wrong, Danny.

"…Please talk to me, little brother."

The crying grew softer. I could hear walking inside the bedroom. Danny's eyes were red and puffy when he opened the door. He sniffed before saying, "Please don't take too long."

He closed the door behind me. He rested on his bed and sat with his back against the pillows. I sat against the foot of the bed with my legs over the bed's side. I turned to him as his face wrinkled, as he fought to not shed any more tears.

"What's going on, Danny?"

"I… I-I… I did something bad, Jazz." He sniffed. "Something I'm not proud of, at all."

The possible scenarios, from mugging someone to killing someone, played in my mind. "What… What happened?"

He covered his face with both hands. "I… I hurt Sam."

My heart beat faster. "…How?"

"We had an argument at Nasty Burger. I got angry and I… zapped her with some ghost energy. She's fine, but still…" His voice reduced its sound level to a whisper. "Dammit, why did I have to hurt _her_?

"To tell you the truth, I haven't been happy _at all_ lately, Jazz. I don't want to do anything. _Nothing _interests me anymore. I yell or hurt someone and then I feel guilty for being that way.

"I… just don't feel like I belong here anywhere. If I went anywhere else in the world they would recognize me. If I went to the Ghost Zone I would be hunted. …Maybe it's best that I stay alone in space for awhile… Then I'll clear my mind and feel better…"

"Danny, you're just depressed! Sam will be angry that you hit her but she'll understand if you try to talk to her! Please listen to me! You just need medical help!"

"No, I don't feel that that will work. I just need to isolate myself for awhile. Please understand…"

He got up, stood on his rug, and went ghost in a blinding flash. I covered my face to obscure the light.

"…Danny?"

"I'll come back when it's time. Tell Mom, Dad, and Sam I love them, Jazz."

"Danny, no!"

He waved and flew through me, and then his closed window. I sat on his bed, still registering what had just happened, before running down the stairs and screaming for Mom and Dad.

Danny's been gone for five months now. I think I see him flying in the sky sometimes, but it's probably just the clouds and sunlight in my eyes creating an illusion. My family and his friends wait for him to come home every day. I miss my little brother so much. I hope that wherever he is, he knows that he is loved and everything will be better in the end. When he comes back, joy will finally re-enter our lives.


End file.
